Church

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Sermon of St Paul amidst the Ruins by Giovanni Paolo Panini, 1744

The church is a community of believers who have faith in God and follow Him. In the New Testament—originally written in Greek—the word ekklēsia (ἐκκλησία),[1] meaning “assembly” or “congregation,” is used to refer to the Church. Among the four Gospels, this term appears only in the Gospel of Matthew,[2][3] but it occurs more than 110 times throughout the New Testament, including in both the Pauline and general epistles.

Etymology

The term church traces its roots in the Old Testament Hebrew word qahal (קָהָל),[4] which refers to an assembly or congregation and was used in both religious[5] and secular contexts.[6][7] In New Testament, qahal was translated into Greek word ekklēsia (ἐκκλησία), which conveys the idea of “a group of people called together.”[8][9] The English word church ultimately derives from the Greek word kyriakos (κυριακός),[10] meaning “belonging to the Lord” or ‘of the Lord.”

Church as a Faith Community

The church refers to the faith community of those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Apostle Paul did not define the church as a specific building or location, but as the gathering of believers themselves—those who place their faith in Christ.

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ–their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:1–3

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock [saints][11] of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

Acts 20:28


According to the Bible, the church is described as one body, with Jesus Christ as its head. Believers, as members of His body, are spiritually connected to Him and to one another.

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Ephesians 1:22-23

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

1 Corinthians 12:27


As the members of the body of Christ, the church, members, take care of one another and participate in Christ’s work of salvation.[12][13]

Early Church

Place of Worship

In the early Church, places of worship varied and included locations such as the upper room (traditionally known as Mark’s upper room), open-air gatherings,[14] Jewish synagogues,[15][16] and the homes of believers.[17][18]

As the gospel spread throughout the Roman Empire, Christians faced increasing persecution from Roman emperors. Toward the end of the 1st century AD, Emperor Domitian declared himself a god and demanded to be worshiped. Those who refused—followers of Christ—were severely persecuted.[19] To avoid this, early Christians often met in secret, worshiping in underground burial sites known as catacombs.[20]

Functions and Roles of the Church

According to the records of the early Church, its primary functions and roles can be summarized as worship, mission, education, and service.

  • Worship
The believers of the early Church gathered every Sabbath for worship and observed the feasts of the new covenant. They followed Jesus’ teaching to worship in spirit and in truth,[21] rather than through the sacrificial rituals of the Old Testament law.[22][23]
  • Mission
Before His ascension, Jesus Christ commissioned His apostles to preach the gospel to all nations.[24] In obedience to this command, the apostles received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and began traveling to various regions to spread the message of salvation.[25][26]
  • Education
The apostles taught about the resurrection of Jesus and testified that He is God who came in the flesh. They also instructed believers in the teachings of the New Covenant that Jesus established.[27][28]
  • Service
The apostles also dedicated themselves to helping and supporting those in need.[29][30]

Name of the Church

The only name mentioned in the Bible is the “Church of God.” This name signifies that God Himself established and cares for the church,[2][31] affirming that God, that is, Christ is the true owner of the church.[32]


Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ–their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:1–3


Through Apostle Paul’s reflection on his past persecution of believers who followed Jesus, we can see that the church is called the “Church of God.”[33][34] Depending on the region where the church was established, a location such as “in Corinth” is added.

Characteristics of the Church

  • Faith in Christ Who Came in the Flesh
The early Church of God believed that Jesus Christ is God who came in the flesh.


Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

1 John 4:1–3


  • Observance of the New Covenant
The early Church of God kept the regulations of the new covenant, such as baptism,[35][36] the Sabbath,[16][22] the feasts of the new covenant,[37][38][39][40] and women’s veil,[41] following the teachings and example of Jesus.
  • Hope for Heaven
The members of the early Church of God focused not on earthly things, but on heavenly ones.[42][43][44] They believed that God was pleased when they pursued spiritual matters rather than worldly concerns.[45] Since the goal of their faith was the salvation of their souls,[46] they did not seek earthly gain, but instead strove to receive God’s promise of eternal life.[47]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Strong's Greek: 1577. ἐκκλησία, Bible Hub
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Matthew 16:18".
  3. ↑ "Matthew 18:17".
  4. ↑ Strong's Hebrew: 6951. קָהָל, Bible Hub
  5. ↑ "2 Chronicles 30:17".
  6. ↑ "1 Chronicles 29:1".
  7. ↑ "Jeremiah 26:17".
  8. ↑ Strong's Greek: 1577. ἐκκλησία, Bible Hub
  9. ↑ Ekklesia, Bible Study Tools
  10. ↑ Strong's Greek: 2960. Κυριακός, Bible Hub
  11. ↑ The flock (sheep) here refer to the believers. See John 10:10–11, 27, 21:15–17.
  12. ↑ "Ephesians 4:15–16".
  13. ↑ "1 Corinthians 12:25".
  14. ↑ "Acts 16:13".
  15. ↑ "Acts 13:13–14".
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Acts 17:1–2".
  17. ↑ "Romans 16:5".
  18. ↑ "1 Corinthians 16:19".
  19. ↑ The King and I: The Apostle John and Emperor Domitian, Part 1, Associates for Biblical Research
  20. ↑ Catacomb, Britannica
  21. ↑ "John 4:21–24".
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Acts 18:4".
  23. ↑ "Acts 20:6–16".
  24. ↑ "Matthew 28:18–20".
  25. ↑ "Acts 2:1–4".
  26. ↑ "Acts 5:42".
  27. ↑ "Acts 19:9–10".
  28. ↑ "Acts 11:25–26".
  29. ↑ "Acts 4:32–35".
  30. ↑ "Acts 6:1–4".
  31. ↑ "Acts 20:28".
  32. ↑ "Colossians 1:18".
  33. ↑ "Galatians 1:13".
  34. ↑ "1 Corinthians 15:9".
  35. ↑ "1 Peter 3:21".
  36. ↑ "Mark 16:16".
  37. ↑ "1 Corinthians 5:7–8".
  38. ↑ "1 Corinthians 11:23–26".
  39. ↑ "Acts 1:13–2:1".
  40. ↑ "1 Corinthians 16:8".
  41. ↑ "1 Corinthians 11:3–6".
  42. ↑ "Philippians 3:20–21".
  43. ↑ "Colossians 3:1–3".
  44. ↑ "2 Corinthians 4:16–18".
  45. ↑ "Romans 8:5–8".
  46. ↑ "1 Peter 1:8–9".
  47. ↑ "1 John 2:25".
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